Premier’s speech was about ‘licking old wounds’- BVICCHA Chairman
“That was what I was kind of expecting to see from the Premier’s speech, a new deal for the Virgin Islands that would help reshape the way how our people do business, where we were going, but we haven’t seen an economic policy coming out of this speech,” said noted a disappointed Mr Smith. What he said was clear was the fact that the Premier had finally acknowledged that the Virgin Islands is in a crisis.
“From about a month ago where we had the Premier saying we have a robust economy he is now saying that he is diagnosing the problem and it’s dire…the Premier has come around to the reality of what all of us have been saying all the time.”
The man who sits at the head of the local Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association in the VI was very candid in his comments and repeatedly pointed out that the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith and his government were blindfolded to the declining state of the economy as was being seen and constantly being repeated at various forums and by all levels of persons.
NDP Lied
Mr Smith opined that the National Democratic Party (NDP) government has been stuck in the campaign mode for too long and continues to lie just as they repeatedly did on the campaign trail. “They campaigned on a lot of things that were not true. They said a lot of things that were not true in the 2011 election.”
The BVICCHA Chairman also said the Premier was very tactic in mentioning the “truth” extensively throughout the speech. “He used that word a lot and that’s a subliminal message by constantly throwing it in that speech. Unless you are a speech writer yourself or are familiar with speech communication you wouldn’t pick up on those subtleties. Whoever wrote that speech knew exactly what they were doing.”
Mr Smith insisted that it was the harsh reality that the NDP was not truthful to the people of the Territory during their campaigning and that government is now forced to grapple with the facts that the reality of the society was not what they told the people it was back in 2011.
The writing on the wall
“He has come full circle to where the public has been all along. We have seen the writing on the wall, we knew it was the case he is now saying what we have been saying,” Mr Smith stated.
He also said that there was absolutely nothing new in the Premier’s speech as he has now come to the point of saying what the rest of the Territory has been saying all along. While he complimented the Premier for finally getting on the same wavelength with everyone else, “It would have been good for him to have been there a long time and now come to the public to tell us where you are going.”
The person/s who would have written the speech was given high points by Mr Smith, who said that it would have been remiss of him not to give credits where due as in his opinion it was “well written.” He could not avoid noting, however, that it was a political speech. “There were no ifs and buts about that, it was very political and I want to stay away from those politically charged issues, too much politics in it.”
They need to be putting money into the economy
While noting that he is no economist, Mr Smith said the Territory should be looking at two opposing things happening internationally intended at stimulating economies. He alluded to Representative of the Third District Honourable Julian Fraser, RA, constantly expounding that view. “The United States from the time the economic downturn began in 2008 had taken a position that government intervention was critical. They need to be putting money into the economy to be able to get the private sector back on track. The United States has been a leader on that,” argued Mr Smith.
He sought to compare the system employed by the US government which has, as of last month (June), seen a 30% increase in jobs and the system that Europe has employed but sees them still in a state of turmoil over declining jobs. “Which of the two is working? I tend to think that the Representative of the Third District somehow has gotten it right.”
Mr Smith said he was still in awe as to what the position of the Premier really is as to how the economy was to get back on track since his speech was not an economic policy statement. “We haven’t seen from his speech what his position is.” In his quest to stay away from the politics, Mr Smith declined to say if in his view this has been a trend of the NDP government of not coming clear as to what their position is. “I would hesitate to answer that question because I want to stay away from the politics. I do really have a strong view in response to that question but it’s a political response. So I wouldn’t go there.”
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32 Responses to “Premier’s speech was about ‘licking old wounds’- BVICCHA Chairman”
Hush your silly r@$$ if they vote for Myron it means any one can win in this place...Jamal is far more superior to Myron and most of all is indigenous to the BVI
Separate them by all the negative and positives then do the same with the NDP and the VIP and see which party would have allowed you to live like a king in just a short time and if NDP did not gain much positive and the VIP has , then next time vote them out it is your democratic right. Exercise it. Or you have a choose to bring on a new "Party". Please do not insult my comments into the juvenile brackets, I am highly favor and truly blessed in my school work.
Oh the word " People Like you" give a sense of those who cannot read , write or reason (illiterates)or the idea that someone is beneath the level of your superiority, if you are human do not put others down it is not a cool thing to do and "screw us" refrain from using the language it has so much meaning in its meaning. One might mostly think of the latter. You cannot speak for the population in that language. Because you have generalized the population to the media in thinking that the majority will agree with you. It is not so.
In Jamal's line of work I know of several people who shares his views but prefers to talk privately. That is dangerous to the country, but then again, they also fear for their own survival. Too bad we have to live in a society where citizens fear their government.
Jamal, I agree with most of your written piece but not this captioned bit. The US Government is borrowing from the Federal Reserve which they do not own. BVI does not have a mint from which to print more money or borrow. BVI Government needs to trim the excess recurrent expenditure fat; have prudent financial management and lessen the wasteful spending.
Orlando has the money, its just the model he is using is the wrong one. And when Jamal said, "I tend to think that The Representative for the Third District somehow has gotten it right", he was talking about the model. And he is right.
Hon. Fraser didn't make it up when he said the Premier was using the European Model, for if you look at the Premier's 2012 Budget Address you will see the caption says, "Austerity today, ensures economic recovery tomorrow". Unfortunately tomorrow never came, and the sad thing about it is that the Premier hasn't seen that. Even after being told.
that's the very reason you have many women and young girls in abusive, serious abusive situations, women and men in workplaces being screwed through their ears and the full length of it and they are afraid to come forward because their own people would rather the swallow and 'take it to the lord in prayer' that to let the world know whats going on.
it time to wake and smell the roses. Allow people to express themselves and you'll see how much the country will develop because persons would be candid, the learned ears will ear and in a lot of cases they would by a lot of the initiatives of the grassroot. MR JAMAL S. SMITH DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE NEGATIVE PEOPLE STILL LIVING LOCKED AWAY IN THEIR ANCIENT BOXES. CONTINUE TO BE DEMOCRATIC that was a speech form the heart and i bet there were more but VINO say everything that you said. I know you sir. i particularly like the point that you brought out that the NDP lied to the people during their campaign. A lie is a lie and should not be dressed up. One love brother.
Between these two Smiths give me the Premier any day